How? They gave the sport more exposure, expanded us properly into North America, developed a homegrown fan base, negotiated their own TV deal and gained promotion on merit.

A joke? That comment is completely ridiculous.

Im sure playing in -34 trumps financial when your backed by a billionaire, I know when the french league started thanks, it was you who said a “few” years ago

It's simple for me - It's bloody ridiculous to have a team from not just another country (France, which is restrictive enough), but another continent, thousands of miles away.

The vast majority of fans can't travel there, nor can (most of) their fans travel here.

Sport is for the fans.

What next?
Aussie club(s)?
SL becoming a feeder for pre-NRL teams to prove something?
Maybe allow some South-Sea Island teams, as they don't have a strong enough local league?

Seem their backer has either run out or isn't prepared to bankroll the club anymore.

The Vichy government banned all Rugby League it was booming at the time .
rlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_league_in_France#:~:text

Exactly, you could not have put it better.